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MORTIMER 316 MORTON law: (1) The disposition of lands for religious or charitable purposes. (2) A term applied to lands given formerly to the Church for religious purposes, or, since the Reformation, for charitable or public purposes. By the present practice, when lands are given for any charitable purpose they are usually disposed to trustees, to be held either in blanch or feu. (3) A charitable fund or institu- tion obtained from the yearly revenue of such lands. MORTIMER, EDMUND, EARL, es- poused Philippina, daughter of Lionel, second son of Edward III,, King of Eng- land. Roger, son of the preceding, was declared heir to the crown in 1385, but died in 1399, leaving an only daugh- ter, who married Richard, Duke of York, giving to that family a claim to the throne of England. Hence arose the wars of the "Red and White Roses," be- tween the houses of York and Lancaster. MORTIMER, ROGER, EARL OF MARCH, an English politician; born about 1287. On the death of his father, in the Welsh wars in 1303, he was made the ward of Piers Gaveston. He served under Edward I. in the Scotch war, in 1306-1307, and during the first 14 years of the reign of Edward II. was employed in Scotland, Ireland, and France, and was appointed lieutenant in Ireland in 1317. Three years later he joined the barons in revolt to banish the king's favorites, the Spensers, but was taken and imprisoned in the Tower. Having escaped to France, he allied himself with Isabella, Queen of Edward II., and the barons who shared her discontent. The queen accepted him as her paramour, and having obtained aid from the Count of Hainault, they came to England in 1326, deposed and imprisoned the king, and governed the kingdom at their will. The young prince was proclaimed (Edward III.) ; Mortimer was created Earl of March, and took a large share of the estates of the Spensers; the deposed king was shamefully murdered by his orders; and at last Edward, weary of subjection to this insolent usurper, and backed by the public hatred of him, assumed the government. Mortimer was seized at the castle of Nottingham, and hung at Ty- burn, Nov. 29, 1330. MORTLAKE, a parish of Surrey, Eng- land, formerly famous for its tapestry works ; now malting and brewing are the leading industries. It is also a great boating place, the Oxford and Cambridge race being rowed from Putney to Mort- lake. It has associations with Arch- bishops Anselm and Cranmer, the astrol- oger. Dr. Dee, and Cromwell, Swift, and Stella. MORTON, JAMES DOUGLAS, 4th EARL OF, regent of Scotland, younger son of Sir George Douglas; born in Dal- keith, Scotland, in 1530. Having mar- ried a daughter of the 3d earl, he re- ceived the earldom on the death of his father-in-law, in 1553. He favored the Reformation, and was made Lord High- Chancellor of Scotland in 1563. Three years later he took part in the murder of Rizzio, and fled to England; obtained the queen's pardon, through the influence of Bothwell, Informed of the plot against Darnley, he refused to share in it. He was one of the leading opponents of Bothwell, was again made chancellor, and in 1572 appointed regent. Having made himself odious to the people, he re- signed, but afterward resumed office. Charged as accessory to the murder of Darnley, he was tried, condemned, and beheaded by the instrument he himself had introduced into Scotland, June 3, 1581. MORTON, JAMES MADISON, JR., judge; born in Fall River, Mass., in 1869, he graduated from Harvard with the de- gree of LL.B, in 1894, and then practiced in his native town. He was a member of the Board of Police at Fall River from 1903 to 1912, and became U. S. District Judge in the latter year by appointment of President Taft. He is president of the Sagamore Manufacturing Co. and trustee of the Bradford Durfee Textile School at Fall River. MORTON, JULIUS STERLING, Amer- ican politician; born in Adams, N. Y., in 1832 ; died in Lake Forest, 111., in 1902. Graduated from Union College, 1854, then became editor Nebraska City "News" of Nebraska City, Neb. Was member Territorial Legislature, 1856-1857, then, in 1858, its secretary. When Governor Richardson resigned in 1858, he acted as governor. Was a member of Presi- dent Cleveland's Cabinet (1893-1897) as Secretary of Agriculture. He is espe- cially remembered as the originator of Arbor Day. MORTON, LEVI PARSONS, an Amer- ican financier; born in Shoreham, Vt,, May 16, 1824. At the age of 16 he worked in a country store. In 1849 he went to Boston, and, though possessed of little capital, was admitted as a partner in a prominent mercantile firm; five years later he removed to New York, and in 1863 established the banking house of Morton, Bliss & Co., with a branch in London under the name of Morton, Rose & Co. In 1878 he was